Famous Fictional People
Famous fictional people, as featured on various lists. Most famous fictional characters: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/may/19/1 21st century: Harry Potter 20th century: James Bond 19th century: Sherlock Holmes Oliver Twist Ebenezer Scrooge Peter Pan 18th century: Robinson Crusoe or Lemuel Gulliver 17th century: Hamlet Othello Macbeth 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 From Book magazine, March/April 2002 https://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2002/mar/020319.characters.html 1 - Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925 2 - Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, 1951 3 - Humbert Humbert, Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov, 1955 4 - Leopold Bloom, Ulysses, James Joyce, 1922 5 - Rabbit Angstrom, Rabbit, Run, John Updike, 1960 6 - Sherlock Holmes , The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1902 7 - Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee, 1960 8 - Molly Bloom, Ulysses, James Joyce, 1922 9 - Stephen Dedalus, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce, 1916 10 - Lily Bart, The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton, 1905 11- Holly Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote, 1958 12 - Gregor Samsa, The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, 1915 13 - The Invisible Man, Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, 1952 14 - Lolita, Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov, 1955 15 - Aureliano Buendia, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1967 16 - Clarissa Dalloway, Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf, 1925 17 - Ignatius Reilly, A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole, 1980 18 - George Smiley, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, John LeCarre, 1974 19 - Mrs. Ramsay, To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf, 1927 20 - Bigger Thomas, Native Son, Richard Wright, 1940 21 - Nick Adams, In Our Time, Ernest Hemingway, 1925 22 - Yossarian, Catch-22, Joseph Heller, 1961 23 - Scarlett O'Hara, Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1936 24 - Scout Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee, 1960 25 - Philip Marlowe , The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler, 1939 26 - Kurtz, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 1902 27 - Stevens, The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro, 1989 28 - Cosimo Piovasco di Rondo, The Baron in the Trees, Italo Calvino, 1957 29 -Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, 1926 30 - Oskar Matzerath, The Tin Drum, Gunter Grass, 1959 31 - Hazel Motes, Wise Blood, Flannery O'Connor, 1952 32 - Alex Portnoy, Portnoy's Complaint, Philip Roth, 1969 33 - Binx Bolling, The Moviegoer, Walker Percy, 1961 34 - Sebastian Flyte, Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, 1945 35 - Jeeves, My Man Jeeves, P.G. Wodehouse, 1919 36 - Eugene Henderson, Henderson the Rain King, Saul Bellow, 1959 37 - Marcel, Remembrance of Things Past, Marcel Proust, 1913-1927 38 - Toad, The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame, 1908 39 - The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss, 1955 40 - Peter Pan, The Little White Bird, J.M. Barrie, 1902 41 - Augustus McCrae, Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry, 1985 42 - Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett, 1930 43 - Judge Holden, Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy, 1985 44 - Willie Stark, All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren, 1946 45 - Stephen Maturin, Master and Commander, Patrick O'Brian, 1969 46 - The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1943 47 - Santiago, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, 1952 48 - Jean Brodie, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark, 1961 49 - The Whiskey Priest, The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene, 1940 50 - Neddy Merrill, The Swimmer, John Cheever, 1964 51 - Sula Peace, Sula, Toni Morrison, 1973 52 - Meursault, The Stranger, Albert Camus, 1942 53 - Jake Barnes, The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway, 1926 54 - Phoebe Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, 1951 55 - Janie Crawford, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston, 1937 56 - Antonia Shimerda, My Antonia, Willa Cather, 1918 57 - Grendel, Grendel, John Gardner, 1971 58 - Gulley Jimson, The Horse's Mouth, Joyce Cary, 1944 59 - Big Brother, 1984, George Orwell, 1949 60 - Tom Ripley, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith, 1955 61 - Seymour Glass, Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger, 1953 62 - Dean Moriarty, On the Road, Jack Kerouac, 1957 63 - Charlotte, Charlotte's Web, E.B. White, 1952 64 - T.S. Garp, The World According to Garp, John Irving, 1978 65 - Nick Charles and Nora Charles, The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett, 1934 66 - James Bond , Casino Royale, Ian Fleming, 1953 67 - Mr. Bridge, Mrs. Bridge, Evan S. Connell, 1959 68 - Geoffrey Firmin, Under the Volcano, Malcolm Lowry, 1947 69 - Benjy, The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner, 1929 70 - Charles Kinbote, Pale Fire, Vladimir Nabokov, 1962 71 - Mary Katherine Blackwood, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson, 1962 72 - Charles Ryder, Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, 1945 73 - Claudine, Claudine at School, Colette, 1900 74 - Florentino Ariza, Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1985 75 - George Follansbee Babbitt, Babbitt, Sinclair Lewis, 1922 76 - Christopher Tietjens, Parade's End, Ford Madox Ford, 1924-28 77 - Frankie Addams, The Member of the Wedding, Carson McCullers, 1946 78 - The Dog of Tears, Blindness, Jose Saramago, 1995 79 - Tarzan, Tarzan of the Apes, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1914 80 - Nathan Zuckerman, My Life As a Man, Philip Roth, 1979 81 - Arthur "Boo" Radley, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee, 1960 82 - Henry Chinaski, Post Office, Charles Bukowski, 1971 83 - Joseph K. The Trial, Franz Kafka, 1925 84 - Yuri Zhivago, Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak, 1957 85 - Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling, 1998 86 - Hana, The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, 1992 87 - Margaret Schlegel, Howards End, E.M. Forster, 1910 88 - Jim Dixon, Lucky Jim, Kingsley Amis, 1954 89 - Maurice Bendrix, The End of the Affair, Graham Greene, 1951 90 - Lennie Small, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, 1937 91 - Mr. Biswas, A House for Mr. Biswas, V.S. Naipaul, 1961 92 - Alden Pyle, The Quiet American, Graham Greene, 1955 93 - Kimball "Kim" O'Hara, Kim, Rudyard Kipling, 1901 94 - Newland Archer, The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton, 1920 95 - Clyde Griffiths, An American Tragedy, Theodore Dreiser, 1925 96 - Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, 1926 97 - Quentin Compson, The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner, 1929 98 - Charlie Marlow, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 1902 99 - Celie, The Color Purple, Alice Walker, 1982 100 - Augie March, The Adventures of Augie March, Saul Bellow 1953 100 Greatest Fictional Characters http://fandomania.com/100-characters/ 100. Dr. Sam Beckett Appears In: Quantum Leap Created By: Donald P. Bellisario Audiences first meet Sam Beckett as an amnesiac, displaced from time into a strange body in 1956. Over the course of Quantum Leap, Sam uncovers more of his own history while he leaps through time “setting right what once went wrong.” Ever propelled by a desire to return to his own body and time, the time traveling scientist made “string theory” a household term in the late 80s and early 90s and helped open a generation’s conceptions of the universe and time. 99. Lois Lane Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster Created in 1938 as a love interest for Superman, Lois Lane would become one of DC Comics’s longest enduring characters. From her inception through today, Lois has worked as a hard-hitting journalist at Metropolis’s Daily Planet. Her character has gone through a number of changes, even being relegated into a silly and comedic role in the 1950s and 60s in Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane. After more than 70 years, however, Lois has become a strong and intellectual force on her own merits, even temporarily getting her own superpowers in All-Star Superman. 98. Hellboy Appears In: Dark Horse Comics Created By: Mike Mignola Drawing from pulp adventure and folklore origins, Hellboy is a demon raised by humans to fight for good in a world overrun with evil and the supernatural. He first appeared in comics in 1993 before making the jump to film in 2004, played by Ron Perlman. Hellboy is an icon of comics, and Mike Mignola has won numerous awards, including the Eisner and Harvey, for unleashing this Nazi-killing Earthbound demon upon pop culture. 97. Patrick Bateman Appears In: American Psycho Created By: Bret Easton Ellis An investment banker working on Wall Street at Pierce & Pierce, Patrick Bateman is the very picture of wealth and success. Beneath Bateman’s moneyed and professional “mask of sanity” lurks a dark side, one that readily tortures and murders with wild abandon. In an era of excess and vapidity, Patrick Bateman is a sharp commentary on yuppie culture. In addition to American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction, Glamorama, and Lunar Park also include Bateman peripherally. 96. V Appears In: V for Vendetta Created By: Alan Moore and David Lloyd Designed to be equal parts protagonist and antagonist, V has become a modern icon in pop culture for revolution and anarchy. Famously clad all in black and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, V seeks to violently bring down the established government that had imprisoned him. In 2005, V made the jump to a film adaptation, portrayed by Hugo Weaving. 95. Raistlin Majere Appears In: Dragonlance Chronicles Created By: Margaret Weis Sickly, weak, and disfigured, Raistlin is a stark contrast to the physical strength of his twin brother Caramon, and he uses magic to give himself a sense of superiority. Raistlin begins as a neutral mage, but his lust for power eventually leads him to the side of evil, making him a quintessential tragic hero. 94. Aeryn Sun Appears In: Farscape Created By: Rockne S. O’Bannon An iconic warrior woman, Aeryn Sun begins her journey in Farscape as a detached soldier, cold and militaristic to a fault. Over the course of the series, she evolves into a caring and more open character and learns to trust and to love without losing any of her strength. 93. Guybrush Threepwood Appears In: Monkey Island series Created By: Ron Gilbert, Dave Grossman, and Tim Schafer A scrawny, awkward pretty boy, Guybrush seems an unlikely candidate for piracy, but his persistence pays off as he earnestly chugs grog, treasure hunts, and swordfights his way to ultimately defeating the evil ghost pirate LeChuck, earning him a name as an icon of adventure gaming. 92. Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski Appears In: The Big Lebowski Created By: Ethan and Joel Coen Mistaken for a millionaire who shares his name and seeking compensation for a ruined rug, “The Dude” embarks upon an adventure that establishes him as an anti-hero for the late 90s. He defines a slacker counterculture for the era as a uniquely reflective stoner / bowler. Voter Comments: “No explanation needed.” – Grant Gould 91. Kermit the Frog Appears In: The Muppet Show Created By: Jim Henson One of the original Muppets featured on Sesame Street, Kermit became one of Jim Henson’s best known creations. He made the leap from supporting role on Sesame Street to leading part on The Muppet Show, and he became a staple of a childhood generation. 90. Barney Stinson Appears In: How I Met Your Mother Created By: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Arguably the most popular character on CBS’s sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Barney Stinson is a womanizer who lives by a sharp dress code and his own, self-designed “Bro Code.” Despite his crass front, Barney is described by creator Craig Thomas as “a pretty fragile character who’s really afraid of being alone.” 89. Hermione Granger Appears In: Harry Potter series Created By: J.K. Rowling Consistently at the top of her class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione is as loyal and courageous as she is brainy. Throughout the Harry Potter series, she proves invaluable during the title character’s many adventures, as well as a friend to both the popular and the downtrodden. 88. Dr. Doom Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby The ruler of the fictional European nation of Latveria, Doctor Doom has become an archetype upon which many later comic book villains have been built. He wields mystical powers and scientific genius nearly large enough to rival his legendary ego. 87. Ayanami Rei Appears In: Neon Genesis Evangelion Created By: Hideaki Anno and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto The 14-year-old pilot of EVA Unit 00, Rei initially is an enigmatic and emotionally distant girl. During the course of Neon Genesis Evangelion, she develops a strange friendship with Shinji even as the details of her role in the EVA project come to light. Rei has become an instantly identifiable figure in anime and one of the most popular characters from any series in the medium. 86. Squall Leonhart Appears In: Final Fantasy VIII Created By: Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase 17-year-old Squall Leonhart is a student at a military academy, training to be a mercenary, when he becomes wrapped up in a twisting plot that takes him from solitary loner to caring and courageous leader. 85. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce Appears In: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Created By: Joss Whedon Boasting one of the most extreme arcs of character development in the Buffyverse, Wesley goes from foppish, prudish Watcher to (literally) sleeping with the enemy and keeping a woman locked in his closet within just a few years. Yet even with a tortured soul and the agony of unrequited love, Wesley never gives up “fighting the good fight.” 84. Boba Fett Appears In: Star Wars series Created By: George Lucas, Ralph McQuarrie, and Joe Johnston Hyped as being the next big villain in the Star Wars universe, Boba Fett actually had a very short-lived reign from The Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi. Despite his brief appearance and dearth of dialogue, this bounty hunter gained a cult following and has become one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars franchise. 83. Jayne Cobb Appears In: Firefly and Serenity Created By: Joss Whedon Jayne is a mercenary who joins the crew of Serenity on promise of a share of their heist hauls and his own bunk (which he apparently makes good use of). Though he serves mostly as comic relief due to his brutish, vulgar nature, he also has a softer side, most famously evidenced by his donning of a “cunning” hat knit by his mother. 82. The Flash Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert The Flash is an identity used by numerous heroes in the DC Universe over the years, all of them possessing superspeed abilities. Most consider the second Flash, Barry Allen, to be the first superhero of the Silver Age of comics, which began with Showcase #4 in October 1956. 81. Dorothy Gale Appears In: The Wizard of Oz Created By: L. Frank Baum A simple farm girl from Kansas, Dorothy accidentally lands in the fantasy world of Oz after a tornado. On her quest to return home, she makes new friends, helping each find confidence in himself. 80. Alice Appears In: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Created By: Lewis Carroll Fueled by curiosity, young Alice follows the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole to Wonderland, where she meets all manner of bizarre and absurd characters. Though Wonderland is inherently illogical, Alice remains calm and courteous as she uses logic to make her way back home. 79. Magneto Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby From Holocaust survivor to feared supervillain, Magneto is one of the most complex, interesting, and, at times, sympathetic bad guys in the Marvel canon. His magnetic powers are almost incidental next to his twisted and charismatic leadership of the next step in human evolution. 78. Calvin Appears In: Calvin & Hobbes Created By: Bill Watterson Named after philosophers John Calvin and Thomas Hobbes, this pairing of a little boy and his plush tiger is a celebration of imagination, friendship, and innocence. The comic strip ran from 1985 through 1995 but remains one of the most popular series of all time. 77. Ash Williams Appears In: Evil Dead series Created By: Sam Raimi Ashley Williams, Bruce Campbell’s most iconic and identifiable role, is a sarcastic and egotistical goofball who repeatedly finds himself tangled up in bizarrely horrific situations. The hero of the Evil Dead franchise, Ash has gained a massive cult following for his wit, his chainsaw arm, and his boomstick. 76. Death Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology Also known as the Grim Reaper, Death is usually portrayed as being the one to escort those on the brink of death to the afterlife. He or she may also have the ability to control when that death happens, and the living may sometimes be able to bargain with or trick Death into preventing such an occurence. Note: Many different incarnations of Death were combined into this entry, as none of the individual versions would have made the list on its own. Of the votes for Death, the two most popular were Death from Sandman (with 53% of the Death votes) and Death from Discworld(with 23.5%). 75. Omar Little Appears In: The Wire Created By: David Simon As a gay Baltimore gangster who only robs people involved in the drug trade, Omar Little is a unique enough character. When you throw in that he’s also President Obama’s favorite character on TV, you know Omar’s significant. 74. River Tam Appears In: Firefly and Serenity Created By: Joss Whedon As a child prodigy, young River was sent to a government-run “academy” which turned out to be more like an assassin factory. Driven insane by the experience, River has a unique outlook on life in the ‘Verse, as well as psychic abilities and near-superhuman fighting skills. 73. Samwise Gamgee Appears In: The Lord of the Rings Created By: J.R.R. Tolkien Perhaps an even more unlikely hero than his friend Frodo Baggins, Samwise finds the courage not only to push himself to keep trekking to Mount Doom, but Frodo as well. Without Sam, Frodo would surely have fallen to the power of the One Ring, ending the Fellowship’s chances of saving the world from Sauron. 72. Hercules Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology The son of Zeus, Hercules is a Greek demigod who has become the primary mythological figure representing physical strength. Originally heralded in his mythical labours, Hercules has made the leap to pop culture, appearing in everything from the Hercules TV show to Marvel comic books to a Disney cartoon. 71. John Carter Appears In: John Carter of Mars series Created By: Edgar Rice Burroughs An Earth man from Virginia, John Carter finds himself transported to Mars, where he becomes a champion. Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs as a contemporary of Tarzan, John Carter lives adventures that will influence writers from Alan Moore to H.P. Lovecraft to Robert Heinlein. 70. Deadpool Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld Also known as the “Merc with a Mouth,” Deadpool is the alter ego of Wade Wilson. In addition to his super-healing abilities and expert martial arts skills, Deadpool is physically disfigured and mentally insane, and frequently breaks the fourth wall to talk to the reader directly. 69. Dexter Morgan Appears In: Dexter Created By: Jeff Lindsay A forensic blood spatter analyst for the Miami-Metro Police Department by day, Dexter spends his free time pursuing criminals in another way — he murders them. Though he is a serial killer, he follows a unique code and manages to gain the viewer’s sympathy and support despite the heinousness of his deeds. 68. Eric Cartman Appears In: South Park Created By: Trey Parker and Matt Stone Arguably the most prominent and recognizable character from South Park, Cartman is a loud and foul-mouthed monster of a kid who seems to thrive on political incorrectness. Cartman’s cultural impact has been so great that scholarly papers have even been written about his blatantly evil morality. 67. Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy Appears In: Star Trek Created By: Gene Roddenberry The chief medical officer of the Enterprise under Captain Kirk, “Bones” McCoy inspired many young fans to grow up to become doctors. Bones is known as much for his catchphrases as his medical acuity, having birthed the phrases, “He’s dead, Jim,” and “I’m a doctor, not a any non-doctor profession.” 66. Tarzan Appears In: Tarzan series Created By: Edgar Rice Burroughs The hero of over twenty novels and more than eighty movies, Tarzan is an archetypal jungle boy. The child of British nobility, Tarzan is orphaned to be raised by apes. In addition to being an adventurer, Tarzan also serves as a character commentary on modern civilization and society. 65. Catwoman Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Bill Finger and Bob Kane Originally designed as a jewel thief and villain in the Batman universe, Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) eventually finds herself on the path toward heroism and even ends up in a tangled relationship with Batman. Catwoman has become a comic book icon and is the quintessential femme fatale. 64. Holden Caulfield Appears In: The Catcher in the Rye Created By: J.D. Salinger A lonely and morose sixteen-year-old who is expelled from his prestigious boarding school, Holden became an icon for teenage rebellion almost immediately after The Catcher In The Ryewas first published in 1951 due to his experiences as a runaway, which include heavy drinking and an incident with a prostitute. 63. Yuna Braska Appears In: Final Fantasy series Created By: Tetsuya Nomura 17-year-old Yuna Braska is the daughter of a hero and a powerful Summoner in her own right. She gained an enormous fan following through Final Fantasy X, in which she demonstrates her strength through grace and spirituality. Voter Comments: “Forgetting the horror that is FFX-2, I found Yuna’s display of quiet strength to be rather refreshing in video game culture where people often only care about the badass factor. Plus, she just makes for a much more interesting (and far less annoying) main character than Tidus.” – Laura W. 62. Aquaman Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris Often the butt of jokes, the character of Aquaman is one of the most underestimated in the world of comic books. His hallmark powers involve the ability to communicate with sea creatures, but many forget that he also is imbued with incredible super strength, a healing factor, superhuman stamina, and a mystical left hand. 61. Doctor Strange Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko The Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel universe, Doctor Stephen Strange is a brilliant neurosurgeon who wields massive magical powers. He also is the caretaker of some of the world’s greatest mystical artifacts, including the Eye of Agamotto and the Book of the Vishanti. 60. Yoda Appears In: Star Wars series Created By: George Lucas and Raven Baxter Originally designed with a likeness partially modeled after Albert Einstein’s face, Yoda is a 900-year-old Jedi master, capable of amazing and miraculous feats. He is the the embodiment of the phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and he is one of the most quoted characters in the Star Wars universe, having uttered many a memorable backwards phrase. 59. Optimus Prime Appears In: Transformers Created By: Denny O’Neil, Jim Shooter, and Bob Budiansky Optimus Prime is the leader of the heroic Autobots in the Transformers franchise. He has appeared in nearly every imaginable medium from cartoons to toys to TV to movies to comic books. Optimus is a champion for his kind, and he’s also an nostalgic icon for anyone who grew up in the ’80s. Voter Comments: “When Hasbro had him killed in the 1986 movie, audiences were so outraged that they brought him back in the third season of Transformers. ‘Nuff said.” – Serena Gulledge 58. Huckleberry Finn Appears In: Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn series Created By: Mark Twain Huckleberry “Huck” Finn is a protagonist in several novels by Mark Twain and has become a legendary fictional youngster of the late 1800s Southern United States. A vehicle for satirizing the Old South, Huck befriends a runaway slave and through his adventures challenges many societal standards of the time. 57. Ellen Ripley Appears In: Alien series Created By: Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett A warrant officer on a spacefaring tow ship, Ellen Ripley falls into the accidental and unlikely role of hero in the Alien films. Ripley is very much an action hero and is an important figure in science fiction for breaking through gender stereotypes in the genre. 56. Mickey Mouse Appears In: Disney properties Created By: Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks Originally created in 1928, Mickey Mouse is the star of countless cartoons and shorts produced by Walt Disney. Over time, he has transcended his animated origins to become a theme park mascot, a cultural icon, and one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world. 55. Bilbo Baggins Appears In: The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Created By: J.R.R. Tolkien The unlikely hero of The Hobbit, Bilbo starts out sheltered and timid, but by using his wits and quick thinking is able to save himself and others from harm many times on his journey. He plays a smaller role in The Lord Of The Rings, but it is his acquisition of the One Ring from Gollum in The Hobbit which starts that adventure. Voter Comments: “Bilbo, not Frodo, because there would have been no Frodo if someone so different from him had not started it all.” – Larry Davis 54. Tom Sawyer Appears In: Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn series Created By: Mark Twain Playful, mischievous, and always up for adventure, Tom Sawyer is a troublemaker, but in his adventures he always comes out on top, whether he’s hunting for buried treasure, running away, testifying in a murder trial, or cave-exploring. 53. Dr. Gregory House Appears In: House, M.D. Created By: David Shore A brilliant diagnostician specializing in infectious diseases and nephrology, House is also a Vicodin-addicted curmudgeon. His character is based on that of Sherlock Holmes, sharing the detective’s keen observational skills, unorthodox methods, and lack of “bedside manner.” 52. Green Lantern Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Bill Finger and Martin Nodell The Green Lantern is a title, not an individual character, and it’s been carried by a number of popular characters since the original, Alan Scott, bore the Green Lantern ring in 1940. Acting as intergalactic police, the Green Lantern Corps is a hugely popular and resonant force in comic books, embodying humanity’s will and strength. Note: Many Green Lanterns were submitted, but no individual got enough votes to make the list. All of them were combined into this single entry to represent the character. The top vote-getter, however, was Guy Gardner, with 54.5% of the Green Lantern votes. 51. Galactus Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby A massive, god-like villain in the Marvel universe, Galactus roams the cosmos devouring planets. Partly due to his incredible and horrifying abilities and partly due to decades of fans mocking his pink and purple armor, Galactus is a unique and fascinating character in the world of comics. 50. Ebenezer Scrooge Appears In: A Christmas Carol Created By: Charles Dickens Scrooge is such a greedy miser that his name has become a synonym for stinginess, especially around Christmastime. But he is also a symbol of the ability to turn over a new leaf and choose compassion over selfishness. 49. Veronica Mars Appears In: Veronica Mars Created By: Rob Thomas Veronica Mars is the daughter of a private investigator and becomes a detective in her own right. We see Veronica grow from high school into college as she faces life and solves mysteries every week. She, as well as the TV show named after her, developed a cult following from just three seasons on the air. 48. Bugs Bunny Appears In: Looney Tunes Created By: Tex Avery, Robert McKimson, and Mel Blanc Bugs Bunny has been stirring up trouble since his creation in 1940. Always eager to confound pretty much everyone he meets and always hungry for a carrot, Bugs famously created his catchphrase, “What’s up, Doc?” He’s now a cartoon mascot recognizable around the world. 47. G’Kar Appears In: Babylon 5 Created By: J. Michael Straczynski Perhaps the most profoundly honest and deep character in science fiction, Ambassador G’Kar makes an unforgettable journey from a pugilistic and short-tempered diplomat to an enlightened and wise quasi-religious figure. His struggles and eloquence have cemented his place in the annals of sci-fi history. 46. Captain Ahab Appears In: Moby Dick Created By: Herman Melville Ahab is the quintessential tragic hero, consumed by his desire for revenge and blind to anything else. His quest to slay the great white whale not only leads directly to his own death but also dooms the crew of his ship to a watery grave. 45. Solid Snake Appears In: Metal Gear series Created By: Hideo Kojima One of the most popular action heroes in video gaming history, Solid Snake is a special ops agent who has sneaked, fought, and spied his way through an entire franchise of games. The Metal Gear series spans from 1987 to the present and is more popular today than ever before. 44. Dream Appears In: Sandman Created By: Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg Also known as Morpheus, Dream is one of the Endless, a family of nearly godlike and extremely powerful beings that rule unseen aspects of the world and reality. Dream is the protagonist of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, a series many consider to be the greatest work of comic book writing of all time. Voter Comments: “Sandman is on here for purely selfish reasons. He interests me, and I enjoy the books a lot.” – Dax Collins 43. Conan Appears In: Conan series Created By: Robert E. Howard Conan is one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in twentieth century fantasy, having launched from Weird Tales into movies, video games, and popular mythology. Depicted at various times as a barbarian, a thief, a king, a pirate, and more, Conan is the embodiment of brash adventure and battle. 42. Cloud Strife Appears In: Final Fantasy VII Created By: Tetsuya Nomura A mercenary and former soldier at the start of Final Fantasy VII, Cloud seeks to overcome his past with a villainous military group. He is immediately recognizable for his spiked hair and gigantic “buster sword” and has won a place in the hearts of video gamers since his creation in 1997. 41. John Crichton Appears In: Farscape Created By: Rockne S. O’Bannon John Crichton is an astronaut from Earth who finds himself catapulted through a wormhole into a strange, vast, and literally alien universe. Throughout the Farscape series he is the everyman, bringing an Earther’s sensibilities to the science fiction spectacle. 40. Jean-Luc Picard As the captain of the Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard became the face of Star Trek for a new generation. This stalwart diplomat brought a keystone science fiction franchise to an entirely new set of fans and helped Star Trek mature into a modern epic. Appears In: Star Trek: The Next Generation Created By: Gene Roddenberry 39. Beowulf Appears In: Beowulf Created By: Mythology The legendary hero of Geatland (what is now part of Sweden) is one of English literature’s earliest-known characters. He famously defeats the monster Grendel and Grendel’s Mother, becomes king, and later also defeats a dragon which is terrorizing his people. 38. Fitzwilliam Darcy Appears In: Pride and Prejudice Created By: Jane Austen The wealthy Mr. Darcy begins as an aloof and haughty gentleman, but once he is made aware of his excessive pride, he endeavours to be generous, tolerant, and kind to all. It is this transformation which endears him to Pride and Prejudice‘s heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, as well as to Austen fans everywhere. 37. Iron Man Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby From billionaire businessman to genius engineer to superhero, Tony Stark embodies the best we could strive to be, but he also encompasses our worst through his alcoholism and self destruction. Iron Man is one of the most understandable and human A-list heroes in comics and has won a place in millions’ hearts. 36. Cthulhu Appears In: Cthulhu Mythos Created By: H.P. Lovecraft The figurehead of an entire mythos, Cthulhu is an Elder God who sleeps beneath the sea, waiting for his horrific return to the waking world. Over time he has transcended his horror literary origins to become something of a pop icon, appearing as plush toys, on t-shirts, and in games, as well as lending influence to countless writers and creators. 35. Mario Appears In: Nintendo video games Created By: Shigeru Miyamoto Plumber, super brother, and hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario is the character who introduced an entire generation to video gaming. He became the primary mascot of gaming during the era of the NES, when Nintendo ruled the entertainment world, and his popularity endures even today. 34. Severus Snape Appears In: Harry Potter series Created By: J.K. Rowling Severus Snape’s questionable loyalties, moral grayness, and snark have made him one of the most complex characters in the Harry Potter universe. Couple that with his incredibly popular and successful portrayal by Alan Rickman in the movie adaptations, and Snape becomes an unforgettable anti-hero with a legion of fans. 33. Gandalf Appears In: The Lord of the Rings Created By: J.R.R. Tolkien Inspired by Merlin of the Arthurian legends, Gandalf would become the prototypical wizard of epic fantasy, himself inspiring countless future magic wielders such as Dumbledore and Rincewind. 32. Atticus Finch Appears In: To Kill a Mockingbird Created By: Harper Lee Father to Scout Finch, Harper Lee’s young heroine, Atticus is a lawmaker and attorney and presents unwavering morality and goodness alongside strength and honor. His cultural impact went far beyond the written page, actually inspiring many readers to pursue their own careers in the legal profession. Voter Comments: “Atticus Finch was the ordinary person who became a hero through doing the right thing and is, in his character, the answer to all evil.” – Larry Davis 31. Laura Roslin Appears In: Battlestar Galactica Created By: Ronald D. Moore When viewers first meet Laura Roslin, she is a schoolteacher who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Fate drops her into the role of President of the Colonies, effectively making her the leader of humanity. She adapts and grows into her new role, showing humanity, fierceness, and strength of rare intensity for television. 30. Joker Appears In: DC Comics Created By: Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger, and Bob Kane Batman’s demented nemesis is everything a memorable comic book villain should be–brilliant, nefarious, and just crazy enough to be unpredictable. The Joker has been a character the fans have loved to hate for a long time, but Heath Ledger brought new popularity to the Clown Prince of Crime with his portrayal in The Dark Knight. 29. Aragorn Appears In: The Lord of the Rings Created By: J.R.R. Tolkien From Ranger to returned king, the man known as Strider is a seminal and archetypal hero in epic fantasy. Aragorn is the leader of the Fellowship that guides Frodo on his journey toward Mordor, and he is one of the primary and most beloved characters of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Voter Comments: “The ultimate reluctant fantasy hero. Who isn’t gay for the ‘Gorn?” – Grant Gould 28. Odysseus Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology The hero of Homer’s Odyssey has his origins in Greek mythology as the legendary king of Ithaca. After fighting in the Trojan War (chronicled in Homer’s The Iliad), Odysseus makes his way home in what truly could be called the literal and prototypical hero’s journey. 27. Elizabeth Bennet Appears In: Pride and Prejudice Created By: Jane Austen One of the most popular female characters in British literature, Elizabeth Bennet is the protagonist of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth has proven so successful that she has inspired innumerable future heroines, as well as reimaginings and parodies on both page and screen. 26. Scarlett O’Hara Appears In: Gone with the Wind Created By: Margaret Mitchell Scarlett O’Hara is the heroine of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and is an atypical female protagonist, especially in light of the 1860s Georgia setting of her story. Headstrong, selfish, and uncompromising, Scarlett rebels against the accepted women’s roles of the Civil War era. 25. King Arthur Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology A legendary British monarch, Arthur has appeared in folklore through the ages and has influenced culture, art, and even military in countless ways. Scholars debate whether Arthur actually existed, but there’s no question of the impact Arthurian legend has had, not just in England, but throughout the world. 24. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace Appears In: Battlestar Galactica Created By: Ronald D. Moore, after Glen Larson One of the most controversial changes from the original Battlestar Galactica to the reimagining was Starbuck’s update from the very male Dirk Benedict to the very un-male Katee Sackhoff. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace would go on to win over the fans in a big way, becoming one of the most popular characters—male or female—in modern sci fi. Note: We counted the votes for Kara Thrace by adding together the votes for just “Starbuck” with the ones that specified Kara Thrace, and we counted the votes for the original Starbuck by adding together the votes for just “Starbuck” with the ones that specified the original BSGseries. Kara Thrace received an overwhelming majority of those votes, explaining why Katee Sackhoff is on this list while Dirk Benedict is not. 23. Merlin Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology Friend and advisor to King Arthur, Merlin is the archetypal wizard. Nearly every magic user in popular culture, as well as throughout classic literature, finds inspiration in this ancient British legendary figure. 22. Robin Hood Appears In: Various Created By: Mythology Robin Hood is the archetypal heroic rogue, robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Drawing his origin from British folklore, Robin Hood’s legendary exploits would be recounted in hundreds (if not thousands) of adaptations, and the character would inspire such modern scoundrels as Han Solo and Jayne Cobb. 21. Wolverine Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Len Wein, John Romita Sr, and Herb Trimpe Wolverine is the best at what he does, and he has been a fan favorite in comics since his inception. Originally a violent hero without a memory or a past, Wolverine has evolved into a developed character so popular that he has invaded nearly every Marvel comic series, and he’s been translated into movies, cartoons, and video games more than any other Marvel character, save perhaps Spider-Man. 20. Malcolm Reynolds Appears In: Firefly and Serenity Created By: Joss Whedon As the endearing rogue with a dark past, Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds owes a lot to predecessors like Han Solo. Mal manages to stand on his own, however, as the captain of Serenity and the figurehead of a massive fan movement that managed to get a big budget movie made from a canceled TV series. 19. Frodo Baggins Appears In: The Lord of the Rings Created By: J.R.R. Tolkien Frodo is the reluctant hero of Tolkien’s seminal fantasy epic. Saddled with the burden of bearing the One Ring to Mount Doom, he becomes something more than his diminutive appearance would suggest. Frodo Baggins would go on to become a hero of the ages, inspiring fans for more than fifty years. 18. Homer Simpson Appears In: The Simpsons Created By: Matt Groening Homer Simpson is the patriarch of the irreverent and familiar Simpson family whose animated TV series is the longest running primetime entertainment show in history. Everyone knows someone like Homer, for better or for worse, and his influence on the culture of the modern world is indelible and undeniable. “D’oh!” 17. Frankenstein’s Monster Appears In: Frankenstein Created By: Mary Shelley The monster created by Victor Frankenstein is a tragic creature who longs for human acceptance but finds himself shunned and hated for his grotesque appearance. It is in his sensitivity in the midst of misunderstanding that Frankenstein’s monster has become a beloved and feared icon of the horror of being outcast. 16. Hamlet Appears In: Hamlet Created By: William Shakespeare Prince Hamlet of Denmark is the title character in what many consider to be Shakespeare’s greatest work. Driven by vengeance, Hamlet finds himself entwined in madness and corruption, inevitably leading to his own tragic demise. One of the most quoted English creations, Hamlet‘s popularity and influence are evident from its initial writing (around 1600) through today. 15. Han Solo Appears In: Star Wars series Created By: George Lucas Han Solo is one of the most popular rogues in the history of cinema. From his sarcastic cynicism to his friendship with Chewbacca to his romancing Princess Leia, Han robbed and smuggled his way around the galaxy and into our hearts. 14. Luke Skywalker Appears In: Star Wars series Created By: George Lucas Luke Skywalker is the inexperienced farmboy with a destiny to become a legend. His path throughout the original Star Wars trilogy is the classic hero’s journey, and it speaks to generations of young people, just coming into their own and finding their way in the world. 13. James T. Kirk Appears In: Star Trek Created By: Gene Roddenberry The most popular captain of the Enterprise (at least according to this list), James Tiberius Kirk is a capable and pugnacious leader from Iowa who never backs down from a fight or from any number of alien girls. He is the face of Star Trek for the first generation of Trekkies. 12. James Bond Appears In: James Bond series Created By: Ian Fleming Ian Fleming’s British secret agent is the prototypical spy to whom all subsequent spies would be compared. His arsenal of guns, girls, cars, and gadgets would carry him through a franchise that spans over fifty years, more than twenty movies, six actors, and a growing list of novels and short story collections. 11. Dracula Appears In: Dracula Created By: Bram Stoker Dracula is the character that shaped the world’s perception of vampires as alluring and seductive creatures of the night, rather than shambling bloodthirsty beasts. He has influenced nearly every depiction of vampires following his creation, and Dracula himself has appeared in countless movies, novels, comics, video games, and TV shows. 10. Indiana Jones Appears In: Indiana Jones series Created By: George Lucas Indiana Jones is the ultimate adventure hero, inspired by the pulp serials of old. As a college professor who moonlights as a whip-wielding archaeologist, Indy espouses intelligence combined with action, making him an iconic and unforgettable adventurer. 9. Mr. Spock Appears In: Star Trek Created By: Gene Roddenberry The child of a human and a Vulcan, Spock straddles the line of the familiar and the foreign. Through his unfamiliarity with his own humanity, as well as his struggles to understand and conform with his Vulcan roots, Spock embodies the spirit of Star Trek and, truly, of science fiction in general. 8. Harry Potter Appears In: Harry Potter series Created By: J.K. Rowling Harry Potter is the titular hero in J.K. Rowling’s series of fantasy adventures. As a character, Harry is believable and relatable, but his greatest impact has been as a symbol for literature. The Harry Potter novels brought countless kids back to reading and made books fun again. 7. Spider-Man Appears In: Marvel Comics Created By: Stan Lee Arguably the most popular character in the Marvel universe, Spider-Man is one of the first superheroes to show flaws. Brainy and downtrodden Peter Parker is a character most comics fans could understand personally, so his transformation into Spider-Man strikes a fantastic and common chord that was missing from prior comic heroes. 6. Darth Vader Appears In: Star Wars series Created By: George Lucas, Ralph McQuarrie, and Ben Burtt Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable and feared villains in the history of cinema. Everything from his iconically raspy breathing to his sinister and quasi-robotic / quasi-samurai character design lends to his air of menace and evil. 5 Sherlock Holmes 4 The Doctor 3 Buffy Summers 2 Clark Kent 1 Bruce Wayne 100 Greatest Movie Characters https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/100-greatest-movie-characters/ 100. Edna Mode Appearance: The Incredibles (2004) Creator: Brad Bird Performer: Brad Bird Defining moment: “No capes!” — Mode’s more than eccentric personality hides a distinctly practical approach to superhero fashion. ----99. Randle McMurphy Appearance: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Creator: Ken Kesey, Bo Goldman Performer: Jack Nicholson Defining moment: When Nurse Ratched bans the World Series, McMurphy improvises a commentary. ----98. Optimus Prime Appearance: The Transformers series (2007-) Creator: Denny O’Neil, Jim Shooter, Bob Budiansky Performer: Peter Cullen (voice) Defining moment: Riding high on a mecha dinosaur in Age Of Extinction. ----97. Norman Bates Appearance: The Psycho films (1960-1990), Psycho remake (1998) Creator: Robert Bloch Performer: Anthony Perkins, Henry Thomas, Vince Vaughn Defining moment: With a superimposed skull, he says, “I wouldn’t hurt a fly.” ----96. The Minions Appearance: Despicable Me movies (2010-2013), the Minions movie (2015) Creator: Sergio Pablos Defining moment: Singing “banana” to the tune of Barbara Ann during the Despicable Me 2 trailer. ----95. Maximus Appearance: Gladiator (2000) Creator: David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson Performer: Russell Crowe Defining moment: Rousing the troops with his immortal line, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity!” ----94. Legolas Appearance: The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies (2001-2014) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Orlando Bloom Defining moment: With the rest of the Fellowship bogged down in a snowdrift, Legolas walks across, not leaving a mark. ----93. Wednesday Addams Appearance: The Addams Family films (1991-1993) Creator: Charles Addams Performer: Christina Ricci Defining moment: At a costume party as herself — “I am a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.” ----92. Inspector Clouseau Appearance: The Pink Panther films (1963-2009) Creator: Blake Edwards, Maurice Richlin Performer: Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin, Steve Martin Defining moment: “I suspect everyone and I suspect no-one!” ----91. Inigo Montoya Appearance: The Princess Bride (1987) Creator: William Goldman Performer: Mandy Patinkin Defining moment: “I want my father back, you son of a bitch!” Inigo’s moment of revenge is perfection. ----90. Hal Appearance: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Creator: Arthur C. Clarke Performer: Douglas Rain (voice) Defining moment: Conceding the battle for supremacy between humans and technology, HAL departs with a plaintive rendition of Daisy Bell. ----89. Groot Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) Creator: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers Performer: Vin Diesel/ Krystian Godlewski Defining moment: His return midcredits, getting his groove on as a sapling. Fascinating fact: A Flora colossus from Planet X, Groot made his debut 1960’s Tales to Astonish #13. Far from heroic, proto Groot attempted to abduct humans for scientific experimentation. ----88. Gromit Appearance: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit(2005) Creator: Nick Park Performer: Team Aardman Animations Defining moment: How about reviving the comatose Wallace with a wedge of Stinking Bishop? ----87. Ethan Hunt Appearance: The Mission: Impossible series (1996–) Creator: David Koepp, Steven Zaillian, Robert Towne Performer: Tom Cruise Defining moment: Hunt’s penchant for defying gravity, physics and fear reached its apotheosis in part four, with the daring climb up the side of the Burj Khalifa – aka the world’s tallest building – in Dubai. ----86. Red Appearance: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Creator: Stephen King Performer: Morgan Freeman Defining moment: His final parole board. “To tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.” ----85. Walker Appearance: Point Blank (1967) Creator: Donald E. Westlake (writing as Richard Stark) Performer: Lee Marvin Defining moment: Cutting between Walker’s wife and betrayer (Sharon Acker) getting dressed and Walker striding down a long corridor. The click of his relentless heels sounds over both images — he will not be stopped. ----84. Corporal Hicks Appearance: Aliens (1986) Creator: James Cameron Performer: Michael Biehn Defining moment: “I like to keep this handy... for close encounters…” The fact that Hicks carried a lo-fi shotgun (“Eat this!”) proves he’s old school, a cowboy, and a reliable hero. ----83. Bane Appearance: Batman & Robin (1997), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Creator: Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Graham Nolan Performer: Jeep Swenson (Batman & Robin), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) Defining moment: After a major fist fight, Bane breaks Batman’s back and symbolically throws away the broken mask in The Dark Knight Rises. . ----82. Woody Appearance: The Toy Story series (1995–) Creator: John Lasseter Performer: Tom Hanks (voice) Defining moment: “YOU ARE A TOY! You aren’t the real Buzz Lightyear! You’re... you’re an action figure! You are a child’s plaything!” Woody doles out some tough love to his deluded new friend suffering delusions of grandeur. Fascinating fact: Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich revealed on Twitter that Woody’s last name is Pride. ----81. Withnail Appearance: Withnail & I (1987) Creator: Bruce Robinson Performer: Richard E. Grant Defining moment: Withnail’s preposterous tea shop demands: “We want the finest wines known to humanity. We want them here and we want them now!” ----80. V Appearance: V For Vendetta (2005) Creator: Alan Moore, David Lloyd Performer: Hugo Weaving (though James Purefoy began filming before the role was recast, and some of his scenes still appear with Weaving’s voice-over). Defining moment: The massed ranks of like-masked protesters appearing at the Houses Of Parliament as V blows the place up and brings down the dystopian government. ----79. Roy Batty Appearance: Blade Runner (1982) Creator: Philip K. Dick, Hampton Fancher, David Webb PeoplesPerformer: Rutger Hauer Defining moment: The incredible sense of loss that comes with the “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe” dying speech… “All those moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain. Time to die.” Fascinating fact: Roy’s birthday – or rather, his inception – was celebrated on January 8, 2016. He’s three years and ten months old when he dies. ----78. Martin Blank Appearance: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Creator: Tom Jankiewicz, D. V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack Performer: John Cusack Defining moment: Killing a would-be assassin with the promotional pen his glad-handing real-estate agent friend has given him at a school reunion. ----77. Sam Gamgee Appearance: The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001-2003) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Sean Astin Defining moment: Lugging Master Frodo onto his back and trudging up Mount Doom’s ashy slope: “I can’t carry it for you... but I can carry you!” ----76. Private William Hudson Appearance: Aliens (1986) Creator: James Cameron Performer: Bill Paxton Defining moment: The character’s a certifiable quote-machine, especially when he goes into panicky gobshite mode. After Ripley reasonably points out how long little girl Newt survived, he brilliantly ripostes, “Why don’t you put her in charge?” ----75. Lisbeth Salander Appearance: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy (2009), The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake (2011) Creator: Stieg Larsson Performer: Noomi Rapace, Rooney Mara Defining moment: Her savage revenge on the sexually abusive probation worker, which includes tattooing, "I am a rapist pig" on his chest. Fascinating fact: Larsson claimed that Salander was what he imagined Swedish children's book character Pippi Longstocking would be like as an adult. ---- 74. Frank Drebin Appearance: The Naked Gun series (1988-1994) Creator: David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker Performer: Leslie Nielsen Defining moment: Peeing, mid-press conference, with his mic on. Impressive stream, mind. Fascinating fact: Nielsen appeared on Noel's House Party as Drebin in 1994. He didn't accidentally shoot Mr. Blobby. ---- 73. Donnie Darko Appearance: Donnie Darko (2001) Creator: Richard Kelly Performer: Jake Gyllenhaal Defining moment: Telling motivational speaker Jim (Patrick Swayze), "I think you're the fucking Antichrist!" Fascinating fact: Donnie watches The Evil Dead on a double bill with The Last Temptation Of Christ because Kelly couldn't track down the rights-holders of his first-choice film, C.H.U.D.. ---- 72. Captain Kirk Appearance: The Star Trek series (1966–) Creator: Gene Roddenberry Performer: William Shatner, Chris Pine Defining moment: Marooned alive at the centre of a dead planet, Kirk makes his feeling towards his nemesis ring through the quadrant. "KHAAAAAAAN!!!" Fascinating fact: J. J. Abrams originally asked Mark Wahlberg to play Kirk's dad. ---- 71. Star-Lord Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) Creator: Steve Englehart, Steve Gan Perfomers: Chris Pratt, Wyatt Oleff Defining moment: "I have part of a plan." For this fast-improvising maverick, 12 per cent of a plan is quite sufficient. Fascinating fact: The prop department's single toughest challenge was finding, intact, original Sony headphones for Quill's Walkman. ---- 70. Tony Montana Appearance: Scarface (1983) Creator: Oliver Stone (based on 1932's Howard Hawks/Richard Rosson movie) Performer: Al Pacino Defining moment: "In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women." Fascinating fact: Rapper Cuban Link was set to play Tony's son in a 2001 sequel. ---- 69. Marge Gunderson Appearance: Fargo (1996) Creator: Joel and Ethan Coen Performer: Frances McDormand Defining moment: Contemplating the body in the wood chipper and asking the killer, "And for what? For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Dontcha know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well, I just don't understand it." Fascinating fact: McDormand learned her Minnesota accent from actress Larissa Kokernot, who plays the small role of Hooker #1. Stream Fargo now with Amazon Video ---- 68. Neo Appearance: The Matrix trilogy (1999-2003) Creators: The Wachowskis Performer: Keanu Reeves Defining moment: A hail of bullets stopped with a simple gesture, an Agent batted aside with casual ease, then annihilated from the inside out. As Morpheus so succinctly put it, "He is The One." Fascinating fact: Reeves nearly wasn't. Before Keanu landed the role, both Will Smith and Nic Cage passed on Neo's leather trousers. Stream The Matrix now with Amazon Video ---- 67. Harry Potter Appearance: The Harry Potter series (2001-2011) Creator: J. K. Rowling Performer: Daniel Radcliffe Defining moment: "Expecto patronum!" Harry comes of age by discovering the wherewithal to conjure up his Patronus spirit avatar and repel the Dementors. Fascinating fact: Radcliffe was going to wear green contact lenses, to match Harry's description in the books, but they made his eyes itch. Stream Harry Potter now with Amazon Video ---- 66. Gollum / Sméagol Appearance: The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001-2003) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Andy Serkis Defining moment: Sméagol debating the merits of treachery with his other half in The Two Towers - a scene cunningly orchestrated between the 'innocent' and 'conniving' sides of his inner schism. Fascinating fact: Gollum's underpants are made of goblin skin. Elasticated, breathable, fresh stench of rot... Stream The Lord Of The Rings now with Amazon Video Stream The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey now with Amazon Video ---- 65. Hans Landa Appearance: Inglourious Basterds (2009) Creator: Quentin Tarantino Performer: Christoph Waltz Defining moment: Landa's cold-blooded cabin monologue to a farmer he suspects of sheltering Jews is a sinister mix of slippery charm, high intellect and outright villainy. As is he. Fascinating fact: Landa's trademark Calabash Meerschaum pipe offers a subtle link to another famous, but somewhat less malignant, sleuth - Sherlock Holmes. Stream Inglourious Basterds now with Amazon Video ---- 64. George Bailey Appearance: It's A Wonderful Life (1946) Creator: Philip Van Doren Stern Performer: James Stewart, Bobby Anderson Defining moment: His pure delight at the discovery of "Zuzu's petals!" in his pocket when he returns to the real Bedford Falls after his nightmarish vision and he realises the world has gone back to how it was. Fascinating fact: In the original novel, George's full name was George Pratt. It was changed to Bailey for the movie. Stream It's A Wonderful Life now with Amazon Video ---- 63. Wolverine Appearance: The X-Men series (2000–) Creator: Len Wein, John Romita Sr. Performer: Hugh Jackman, Troye Sivan Defining moment: His ferocious response when the Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters is attacked in X2. The claws come out... Wolverine really doesn't like you threatening his friends. Fascinating fact: Jackman took daily icecold showers while playing Wolverine in order to achieve the requisite grumpiness. Stream X-Men now with Amazon Video ---- 62. E.T. Appearance: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Creator: Melissa Mathison Performer: Pat Welsh (voice) Defining moment: When Elliott cuts his finger, E. T. uses his glowing digit to reveal his power to heal. It is not simply a demonstration of alien powers, but an expression of E. T.'s empathy and mgrowing bond with Elliott. Fascinating fact: The squashy sound of E.T.'s walk was created by foley artist John Roesch stuffing a T-shirt full of jelly and squishing it. Stream E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial now with Amazon Video ---- 61. Bilbo Baggins Appearance: The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies (2001-2014) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Ian Holm, Martin Freeman Defining moment: As he's about to quit the quest in An Unexpected Journey, Freeman's Bilbo realises the dwarves want their home back as much as he needs to get home. Somehow this drives him further on for adventures. Fascinating fact: John Le Mesurier - best known for playing Sgt. Wilson in Dad's Army — played Bilbo in the BBC's 1981 radio serial. Stream The Lord Of The Rings now with Amazon Video Stream The Hobbit now with Amazon Video ---- 60. Dr. King Schultz Appearance: Django Unchained (2012) Creator: Quentin Tarantino Performer: Christoph Waltz Defining moment: For showcasing his joy in the part and his dexterity with Tarantino's dialogue, Waltz recounting the origins of the name of Broomhilda - Django's wife. "It's a German legend, there's always going to be a mountain in there somewhere." Fascinating fact: Tarantino created the part for Waltz, who stayed with him while he wrote and read the pages literally warm from the printer. Stream Django Unchained now with Amazon Video ---- 59. Ace Ventura Appearance: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), When Nature Calls(1995) Creator: Jack Bernstein, Tom Shadyac, Jim Carrey Performer: Jim Carrey Defining moment: Plenty of improv and rubber-faced japery, but for pure physical comedy the slo-mo acting out of a football play in the mental institution - and then rewinding - can't be topped. Fascinating fact: Ace Ventura made a brief (animated) appearance in the cartoon series of The Mask, when Stanley Ipkiss loses his dog. Stream Ace Ventura: Pet Detective now with Amazon Video Stream When Nature Calls now with Amazon Video ---- 58. Sarah Connor Appearance: The Terminator series (1984–) Creator: James Cameron Performer: Linda Hamilton, Emilia Clarke Defining moment: In T2, doing chin-ups in the hospital. Once a timid nobody, now a fearsome warrior with the fate of mankind in her hands. Fascinating fact: The T-1000's doppelgänger of Connor in T2 was played by her identical twin sister, Leslie. Stream The Terminator now with Amazon Video ---- 57. Katniss Everdeen Appearance: The Hunger Games series (2012-2015) Creator: Suzanne Collins Performer: Jennifer Lawrence Defining moment: Volunteering for the nightmarish Hunger Games when her younger sister's name is read out, in order to save the kind-hearted Prim from the same awful fate. Fascinating fact: ‘Katniss' is a plant also known as an ‘arrowhead'. Symbolism! Stream The Hunger Games now with Amazon Video ---- 56. Jack Burton Appearance: Big Trouble In Little China (1986) Creator: John Carpenter, W. D. Richter Performer: Kurt Russell Defining moment: Ol' Jack Burton bursts into a room, shoots his gun in the air... and gets knocked out by falling masonry. Thus proving that he's a perfect piss-take of the shoot first, ask questions later American hero. Fascinating fact: The movie initially began life as a Western, set in the 1880s. Russell's John Wayne drawl would have been even more appropriate. Stream Big Trouble In Little China now with Amazon Video ---- 55. Axel Foley Appearance: The Beverly Hills Cop trilogy (1984-1994) Creator: Daniel Petrie Jr. Performer: Eddie Murphy Defining moment: His incredulous but knowing squeal, "Getthefuckouttahere!" to snippy gallery flunky Serge when he's told the price of the works of art. Fascinating fact: The role was originally written for Sylvester Stallone, who rewrote much of the script, had it rejected, and later recycled some of the ideas for 1986's Cobra. Stream The Beverly Hills Cop now with Amazon Video ---- 54. Amélie Poulain Appearance: Amélie (2001) Creator: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Performer: Flora Guiet, Audrey Tautou Defining moment: Upon Amélie finding the photo album of lost postcards, the narrator gives the perfect summation of Amélieness: “Any normal girl would call the number, meet him, return the album and see if her dream is viable. It’s called a reality check. The last thing Amélie wants.” Fascinating fact: There is a species of South American frog — Cochranella amelie — named after the impish Parisian. Watch Amélie online now with Amazon Prime – 30 days free ---- 53. Vito Corleone Appearance: The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974) Creator: Mario Puzo Performer: Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro Defining moment: Forging his destiny with the murder of neighbourhood padrone Don Fanucci. Fascinating fact: Orson Welles claimed he would have “sold his soul” to play Vito, but was never even considered - still, an interesting thought. Stream The Godfather now with Amazon Video Stream The Godfather: Part II now with Amazon Video ---- 52. Shaun Riley Appearance: Shaun Of The Dead (2004) Creator: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg Performer: Simon Pegg Defining moment: Shaun finally ditches the kitchen appliances and picks up a cricket bat. The sporting way to lay waste to the undead. Fascinating fact: While filming the climactic pub mêlée, Pegg’s arm actually caught on fire. Stream Shaun Of The Dead now with Amazon Video ---- 51. Obi-Wan Kenobi Appearance: The Star Wars series (1977-2005) Creator: George Lucas Performer: Alec Guinness, Ewan McGregor Defining moment: "These aren't the droids you're looking for." Ben Kenobi shows off a neat party trick that leads to a generation trying to get past nightclub bouncers by waving their hands at them. Fascinating fact: Fifteen people have played Kenobi across various platforms but Guinness and McGregor remain the only two actors to have played him on screen. So far. Stream Star Wars now with Amazon Video ---- 50. Luke Skywalker Appearances: The Star Wars series (1977-2015) Creator: George Lucas Performer: Mark Hamill Defining moment: “But I was going into Tosche station to pick up some power converters.” Luke Skywalker: cinema’s greatest whiner. Fascinating fact: In the scene where Luke introduces himself to Leia on the Death Star, Hamill referred to himself as Luke Starkiller, the character’s original name. It was nixed by execs and reshot with the more aspirational Skywalker. Stream Star Wars now with Amazon Video ---- 49. Harry Callahan Appearances: The Dirty Harry series (1971-1988) Creators: Harry Julian Fink, Rita M. Fink, Dean Riesner Performer: Clint Eastwood Defining moment: Best summed up by District Attorney Rothko to Harry: “Where the hell does it say that you’ve got a right to kick down doors, torture suspects, deny medical attention and legal counsel… that man had rights.” Fascinating fact: Dirty Harry was used as a training film by the Filipino police. Stream Dirty Harry now with Amazon Video ---- 48. Lester Burnham Appearance: American Beauty (1999) Creator: Alan Ball Performer: Kevin Spacey Defining moment: Visually the rose petals peeling off Mena Suvari was the image of the film, but it is Lester’s touching voice-over that really lingers: “I can’t feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life.” Fascinating fact: The original script was bookended with Lester’s daughter and her boyfriend being arrested for his murder. Stream American Beauty now with Amazon Video ---- 47. Rick Deckard Appearance: Blade Runner Creators: Philip K. Dick, Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples Performer: Harrison Ford Defining moment: Deckard’s place as futuristic gumshoe/assassin is defined by his brutal shooting of replicant snake dancer Zhora and the bitter look that goes with it. Fascinating fact: When Ridley Scott first met with Ford he was shooting Raiders and arrived in Indy’s hat. Scott ditched the idea of Deckard wearing a fedora immediately and gave him the buzz cut. Stream Blade Runner now with Amazon Video ---- 46. Captain America Appearances: Marvel Cinematic Universe (2011–) Creators: Joe Simon, Jack Kirby Performer: Chris Evans Defining moment: In Age Of Ultron, Tony Stark asks Steve Rogers how he plans to beat an alien invasion. “Together,” says the super-soldier. “We’ll lose,” says Stark. “Then we’ll do that together, too.” Classic Cap. Fascinating fact: The last big-screen Cap came in Albert Pyun’s 1990 version, played by Matt Salinger – son of J. D.. Stream Captain America: The First Avenger now with Amazon Video ---- 45. Tommy DeVito Appearance: Goodfellas (1990) Creators: Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese Performer: Joe Pesci Defining moment: The shinebox to-do is pretty iconic but the knife-edge tension of DeVito’s improvised drinking confrontation with Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) remains unmatchable. “Funny how? What’s funny about it?” Fascinating fact: The above exchange was based on something that actually happened to Pesci. Stream Goodfellas now with Amazon Video ---- 44. Anton Chigurh Appearance: No Country For Old Men (2007) Creators: Cormac McCarthy, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Performer: Javier Bardem Defining moment: The life-or-death coin toss. “Call it, friend-o,” insists Chigurh, impassive as a man counting old Tiger Tokens. You could say he is a fatalist. Fascinating fact: According to co-star Josh Brolin, Chigurh’s bowl cut had Bardem complaining that he wouldn’t “get laid for three months”. Stream No Country For Old Men now with Amazon Video ---- 43. Amy Dunne Appearance: Gone Girl (2014) Creator: Gillian Flynn Performer: Rosamund Pike Defining moment: The most telling glimpse inside Amy’s mind comes via her meticulously filled wall planner – here is her master plan, her final revenge, her psychopathology. She has even set a date to kill herself. Fascinating fact: To deal with how “uneasy” she felt playing Amy, Pike would regularly dissolve into giggles. She realised it was a coping mechanism. Stream Gone Girl now with Amazon Video ---- 42. Lou Bloom Appearance: Nightcrawler (2014) Creator: Dan Gilroy Performer: Jake Gyllenhaal Defining moment: Bloom tying his employer Rene Russo up in knots over one creepy dinner ‘date’. She’s a smart, savvy, experienced operator, and absolutely no match for him. Fascinating fact: Gyllenhaal needed 44 stitches after slicing a thumb during the mirror smash scene. 41. Keyser Söze Appearance: The Usual Suspects Creator: Christopher McQuarrie Performer: Kevin Spacey Defining moment: A criminal so terrifying the mere mention of his name makes hard nuts wither in their shell, Söze is largely a bogeyman-style spectre throughout Bryan Singer’s movie. But we see him at the start, coolly putting out a fire by pissing on it. Now that may be the greatest trick the devil ever pulled. Fascinating fact: The long-haired Söze we see in a flashback is played by Scott B. Morgan, who was working behind the scenes on the movie. ---- 40. Ferris Bueller Appearance: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) Creator: John Hughes Performer: Matthew Broderick Defining moment: Parading through Chicago lip-syncing Danke Schoen while the crowd goes wild. Ever noticed that Ferris is a faker? ---- 39. Driver Appearance: Drive (2011) Creators: Hossein Amini, James Sallis Performer: Ryan Gosling Defining moment: Confined to an orange-hued lift descending to death, Driver kisses Carey Mulligan knowing what he’s about to do will destroy their love but save her life – smashing in the skull of a threatening thug. ---- 38. Yoda Appearances: The Star Wars series (1980-2005) Creators: George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan Performer: Frank Oz Defining moment: Lifting a sunken X-Wing out of a swamp. “I don’t believe it,” says Luke. “This is why you fail,” replies the crestfallen Jedi master, never quick to encourage. ---- 37. Walter Sobchak Appearance: The Big Lebowski (1998) Creators: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Performer: John Goodman Defining moment: Responding to a perceived bowling foul with thermo- nuclear intensity. “Mark it zero!” Walter is a stickler for rules. ---- 36. Rocky Balboa Appearances: The Rocky series (1976-2015) Creator: Sylvester Stallone Performer: Sylvester Stallone Defining moment: “Down! Stay down!” Battered to the canvas by Apollo Creed, the easy thing for Rocky would be to do just that. But up the Italian Stallion climbs. Creed’s look of disbelief, mingled with respect, is glorious. ---- 35. Atticus Finch Appearance: To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) Creator: Harper Lee Performer: Gregory Peck Defining moment: “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial...” Finch’s quietly devastating closing argument destroys the prosecution case and has inspired decades’ worth of prospective lawyers. ---- 34. Captain Mal Reynolds Appearance: Serenity (2005) Creator: Joss Whedon (from his 2002 Firefly television series) Performer: Nathan Fillion Defining moment: Reynold’s St Crispin’s Day speech. Impassioned oratory with a suitably Whedonesque summation. “No more runnin’. I aim to misbehave.” ---- 33. The Man With No Name Appearances: A Fistful Of Dollars (1964), For A Few Dollars More(1965), The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) Creator: Sergio Leone Performer: Clint Eastwood Defining moment: At the finale of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Eastwood’s amoral treasure hunter chooses to let the treacherous Tuco (Eli Wallach) live. He’s not so amoral after all. ---- 32. Jules Winnfield Appearance: Pulp Fiction (1994) Creator: Quentin Tarantino Performer: Samuel L. Jackson Defining moment: A brutal choice, with Tim Roth reaching for his wallet a very close second place (“It’s the one that says Bad Motherfucker.”), but the winner has to be quoting Ezekiel 25:17 before blowing away Brett (Frank Whaley). Righteous fury. ---- 31. Peter Venkman Appearances: Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II (1989) Creators: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis Performer: Bill Murray Defining moment: Giving two students an ESP test, happily electric-shocking the obnoxious sophomore guy while flirting with the girl. Poor science, but liquid Venkman. ---- 30. Gandalf Appearances: The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies (2001-2014) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Ian McKellen Defining moment: In a small but perfect grace note from the Council Of Elrond, as the first to hear Frodo’s offer to take the One Ring all the way to Mount Doom, a ripple of sadness crosses Gandalf’s face. It is the heartbreaking recognition of what his meddling will cost. ---- 29. Snake Plissken Appearances: Escape From New York (1981), Escape From L.A.(1996) Creator: John Carpenter Performer: Kurt Russell Defining moment: On being asked if he’s going to kill Lee Van Cleef’s character: “I’m too tired, maybe later.” ---- 28. The Terminator (T-800) Appearances: The Terminator series (1984–) Creator: James Cameron Performer: Arnold Schwarzenegger Defining moment: The joy of the “I’ll be back” sequence lies not only in its legacy, but its witty machine-like accuracy: he will indeed be back, smashing his car through the police station, the desk, and the desk clerk. ----27. Forrest Gump Appearance: Forrest Gump (1994) Creator: Winston Groom Performer: Tom Hanks Defining moment: When he asks Jenny if their son is “normal”; it’s a moment that shows a tragic awareness of his own limitations. Fascinating fact: In the book, Forrest is more of a savant, and gets top marks in advanced physics at college. ----26. Patrick Bateman Appearance: American Psycho (2000) Creator: Bret Easton Ellis Performer: Christian Bale Defining moment: Patrick Bateman’s soliloquy on the genius of Huey Lewis, followed by his iconic Hip To Be Square flat-ricide. ----25. Ash Appearances: The Evil Dead trilogy (1981-1992) Creator: Sam Raimi Performer: Bruce Campbell Defining moment: The tooling-up sequence in Evil Dead II marks the moment where Ash transitions from hapless and hysterical buffoon to the Dirty Harry of Deadites. Campbell’s delivery of the line, “Groovy,” launched a thousand sound bites. Fascinating fact: Ash’s full name is Ashley Williams. ----24. Daniel Plainview Appearance: There Will Be Blood (2007) Creators: Paul Thomas Anderson, Upton Sinclair Performer: Daniel Day-Lewis Defining moment: “We offer you the bond of family that very few oilmen can understand…” claims Plainview, luring dumbfounded landowners to his cause with Molotov sincerity. A monologue doubly astounding given that Day-Lewis improvised most of it. ----23. The Bride Appearances: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) Creator: Quentin Tarantino Performer: Uma Thurman Defining moment: Beatrix Kiddo’s drastic rationalising of the Crazy 88 during the slay-full House Of Blue Leaves showdown. ----22. Travis Bickle Appearance: Taxi Driver (1976) Creator: Paul Schrader Performer: Robert De Niro Defining moment: Bickle kindly gives his date a Kris Kristofferson album she already owns; then takes her out to a porn film. ----21. Hannibal Lecter Appearances: The Hannibal Lecter films (1986-2007) Creator: Thomas Harris Performers: Brian Cox, Anthony Hopkins, Aaran Thomas, Gaspard Ulliel Defining moment: The moment that cements Lecter’s extraordinary effect comes during his conspicuous absence. Orchestrated with devilish cunning, his courthouse escape in The Silence Of The Lambs leaves you thunderstruck by temporarily having no idea where he is. ----20. Doc Brown Appearances: The Back To The Future trilogy (1985-1990), A Million Ways To Die In The West (2014) Creators: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale Performer: Christopher Lloyd Defining moment: His apology for the “crudeness” of his ridiculously detailed scale model of Hill Valley. ----19. Loki Appearances: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (2011–) Creators: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber Performer: Tom Hiddleston Defining moment: As fun as the tyrannical posturing is in Avengers, the first Thor reveals the troubled core which makes the character so compelling – and sympathetic. After discovering his frost-giant lineage, Loki stutters at his foster-father Odin, “I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?” ----18. Rick Blaine Appearance: Casablanca (1942) Creators: Murray Burnett and Joan Alison (play, Everybody Comes To Rick’s); Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch Performer: Humphrey Bogart Defining moment: His curt nod to the bandleader to strike up La Marseillaise and drown out the Nazis. A tiny but pivotal gesture – Rick has joined The Cause. ----17. M. Gustave Appearance: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Creators: Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness Performer: Ralph Fiennes Defining moment: A philandering, worldly one-man TripAdvisor, concierge M. Gustave ends up taking a fascist bullet for his young friend, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori). Beneath that suave carapace lies an inner nobility, after all. ----16. Ron Burgundy Appearances: Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004), Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) Creators: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay Performer: Will Ferrell Defining moment: Having failed to convince Veronica (Christina Applegate) that San Diego means “whale’s vagina”, Ron says, “Agree to disagree” – displaying his particular mix of arrogance and idiocy. 15. Aragorn Appearances: The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001-2003) Creator: J. R. R. Tolkien Performer: Viggo Mortensen Defining moment: Going to meet the Uruk-hai atop Parth Galen to allow Frodo time to escape. It’s the first time Aragorn embraces his destiny as a leader. ----14. Captain Jack Sparrow Appearances: The Pirates Of The Caribbean series (2003–) Creators: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio Performer: Johnny Depp Defining moment: His panicked cry of, “But why is the rum gone?” on learning that fellow castaway Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) has created a rum-fueled beacon to attract rescue. ----13. Iron Man Appearances: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008–) Creators: Stan Lee, Don Heck, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber Performer: Robert Downey Jr. Defining moment: At a press conference to deny that he is Iron Man, Tony Stark leans into the mic and announces: “I am Iron Man.” It’s the move of a billionaire genius playboy philanthropist, and narcissist, and dispensed with all that secret identity baloney right off the bat. ----12. Marty McFly Appearances: Back To The Future trilogy (1985-1990) Creators: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale Performer: Michael J. Fox Defining moment: After belting out Johnny B. Goode: “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet, but your kids are gonna love it.” ----11. Michael Corleone Appearances: The Godfather trilogy (1972-1990) Creator: Mario Puzo Performer: Al Pacino Defining moment: Watch him steeling himself to kill Sollozzo and Capt. McCluskey in the restaurant – a journey to the dark side begins. ----10. The Dude Appearance: The Big Lebowski (1998) Creators: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Performer: Jeff Bridges Defining moment: Throughout, The Dude is striving to return to his habitual state of rest but fails. Driving his beat-up Torino home in a rare moment of contentment, supping a beer, taking a toke and singing along to Creedence on the eight-track, he spots he’s being trailed. This latest assault on his embattled karma causes him in quick succession to flick his joint into his lap, squeal like a girl, pour beer on his trousers, and slam the Torino into a row of dustbins. Rattled but unhurt, his drugstore Ray-Bans — an excellent bellwether for The Dude’s equilibrium — are left comically askew. ----9. Darth Vader Appearances: Star Wars: Episodes III-VI (1977-2005) Creator: George Lucas Performers: David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice), Sebastian Shaw, Hayden Christensen Defining moment: In the first two films (i.e. Episodes IV and V), Lord Vader is nothing more — or less — than the ultimate, über-cool villain. Remorseless, fearless, able to force-strangle his underlings via video link... But it’s in Return Of The Jedi that we realise, somehow, that we care about Vader — just as Luke does. In this sense, he’s defined by a small exchange with his offspring. Having been urged to let go of his hate, he says, almost sadly, “It is too late for me, son...” ----8. Tyler Durden Appearance: Fight Club (1999) Creator: Chuck Palahniuk Performer: Brad Pitt Defining moment: Tyler delivering the rules is the most quoted moment, but the scene that captures his dark humour is when he invites a beating from bar-owner Lou, spraying blood over him with an evilly gleeful, “You don’t know where I’ve been!” ----7. John McClane Appearances: The Die Hard films (1988-2013), National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) Creators: Roderick Thorp, Steven E. de Souza, Jeb Stuart Performer: Bruce Willis Defining moment: Sending a dead terrorist back to his cohorts with a zinger daubed on him in blood. Tough, cocky, darkly funny. ----6. The Joker Appearances: Batman The Movie (1966), Batman (1989), The Dark Knight (2008), Suicide Squad (2016) Creators: Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger, Bob Kane Performers: Cesar Romero, Mark Hamill (voice), Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto Defining moment: Most votes specified Ledger’s Oscar-winning take, so we’ll go with his pencil-disappearing “magic trick”. Nasty and deeply unpredictable. ----5. Ellen Ripley Appearance: The Alien series (1979-1997) Creators: Walter Hill, David Giler, Ron Cobb, Dan O’Bannon Performer: Sigourney Weaver Defining moment: With a survival instinct to match her xenomorphic nemesis, Ripley is one of nature’s rationalists. Indeed, had they followed her hard-nosed attempt to uphold quarantine rules and prevent the stricken Kane being brought back on board — “If we let it in, the ship could be infected” — the Nostromo crew, if not Kane, would remain a whole lot healthier. ----4. Batman Appearances: Batman The Movie (1966), Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), Batman & Robin (1997), Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Creators: Bob Kane, Bill Finger Performers: Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale Defining moment: It really should be from Christian Bale’s Dark Knight, when he is going fist to face with the Joker as Gordon (Gary Oldman) looks on fretting, “Who’s in control?” Good question. ----3. Han Solo Appearances: The Star Wars series (1977–2015) Creator: George Lucas Performer: Harrison Ford Defining moment: Granted, Vader had the better wardrobe (black cape, motorcycle leathers), but Solo’s scruffy-looking smuggler still takes the gundark’s share of Star Wars cool. Shooting first (sorry George) and cracking wise, he’s every inch the space cowboy. The Quintessential Solo is heartfelt as well as cocksure, though, and never more so than in Ford’s famously ad-libbed response to Leia’s, “I love you,” in Episode V: “I know.” Fascinating fact: In Lucas’ early drafts of The Star Wars, Solo’s character was Ureallian: a noseless, green-skinned, slime-covered alien with large gills, who trapped Wookiees. Not quite so romantic now, is it? ----2. James Bond Appearances: The James Bond series (1962–) Creator: Ian Fleming Performers: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig Defining moment: Probably varies by Bond — Moore unzipping Solitaire’s dress with a magnet would sum him up, for example, while Brosnan adjusting his tie after driving a tank through a wall nails him. But it was probably 007’s first film that laid out the marker for the next 50 years, when he shoots Professor Dent (“That’s a Smith & Wesson, and you’ve had your six”) with the insouciance of a man who’s just had a bid accepted on eBay. ----1. Indiana Jones Appearances: All four Indiana Jones adventures (1981-2008) Creators: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan Performer: Harrison Ford Defining moment: The flicker of recognition that crosses Indy’s face when Belloq (Paul Freeman) suggests they are alike... Tied with the pained, “Do I really have to do this?” look he gives just before he shoots the Arab swordsman. Fascinating fact: It is common knowledge that Indiana Jones was originally called Indiana Smith, but changed to Jones at Spielberg’s behest. Yet the reason Spielberg wanted the seemingly negligible name change was to distance Raiders from Nevada Smith, a 1966 Steve McQueen Western. Category:List